Category Archives: Ross Hoek Motorsports

Ross Hoek Motorsports: Crandon World Championship Weekend Race Report

Ross Hoek Motorsports: Crandon World Championship Weekend Race Report

Holland, Mich. (September 12, 2016) – The Ross Hoek Motorsports, Automatic Transmission Design PRO-4 ended the 2016 TORC Series presented by AMSOIL with a “never quit” attitude as the team ran very competitive laps at the Crandon Off-Road World Championships. Unfortunately the overall results really didn’t represent the effort and pace the #10 RHM ATD PRO-4 ran during the largest short-course off-road racing event of the year.

The team had a rough start to Thursday’s practice session as a seal failure cut short the scheduled full day of practice for Ross Hoek. The unit was replaced and the truck was prepped for Friday’s parade and Saturday’s final round of the 2016 TORC season. Continue reading Ross Hoek Motorsports: Crandon World Championship Weekend Race Report

Ross Hoek Motorsports: TORC Bark River Report

Ross Hoek Motorsports: TORC Bark River Report

Holland, Mich. (August 9, 2016) – Ross Hoek continues to perform well as the TORC Series presented by AMSOIL heads into homestretch of the 2016 season. After committing to run the entire season in his Greaves-built PRO-4×4, the Michigan native impresses the competition with his privately funded team. The TORC “Showdown in the UP” event saw the Auto Trans Design #21 PRO-4×4 challenge the top drivers in the class. Continue reading Ross Hoek Motorsports: TORC Bark River Report

Steady Improvement as Ross Hoek Heads to Crandon

Steady Improvement as Ross Hoek Heads to Crandon

Holland, Mich. (June 21, 2016) – Ross Hoek looks to the 2016 TORC Series presented by AMSOIL schedule as a developmental year for the PRO-4 race team. The team plans use the 2016 season to get the team to the “next level” for a run at the 2017 championship. The first two weekends of the current season saw the #10 Automatic Transmission Design PRO-4 make considerable strides on and off the track and is well on the way to reaching their goal.

Memorial Day Weekend in Fort Worth, Texas, the #10 ATD hot rod finished fourth in the opening round of the season only to lose the front drive in round two which relegated the team to finish well off the pace.

The second weekend of June had Ross Hoek Motorsports head to Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois. Opening night was a horrible struggle for Ross as rain cancelled Thursday practice and with only one 3-lap test session he missed the setup making the truck difficult to drive during Friday’s race. The second night of the program saw Hoek battle totally different track conditions and with a proper setup, the team, truck, and driver had a solid night of racing finishing fourth.

“We plan to compete in every round this year, but it takes good partners, a solid team, a well prepared race truck, and a competent driver,” remarked Ross Hoek. “At times it we’re right there and other times we realize there are areas that we need to improve upon. We’re searching out the right partnerships to make an effective marketing platform in TORC’s premier class. While I explore marketing opportunities, the team has to show steady improvement on and off the track. I’m confident we will achieve our goals this year as well as into 2017 and beyond.”

The next race for Ross Hoek Motorsports is the “Big House Brawl” on June 25-26 in Crandon, Wisconsin. The team always looks forward to the time at Crandon, as Hoek has been very successful throughout his career at the 1.7-mile off-road super speedway.

Ross Hoek Motorsports–New Schedule and Management Announced for 2016 TORC: The Off-Road Championship

New Schedule and Management Announced for 2016 TORC:
The Off-Road Championship
SALT LAKE CITY, UT (November 4, 2015)- TORC: The Off-Road Championship presented by AMSOIL is announcing its 2016 season schedule featuring PRO racing at many of the country’s most popular tracks such as Crandon International Off-Road Raceway and also includes a new track location outside of Minneapolis, MN. Notably, Salt Lake City, UT, based action sports event marketing company, Mountain Sports International (MSI), is in final negotiations to acquire ownership of the series. Established in 1997, MSI has owned and operated action sports events in a variety of sports categories and brings a long history of experience to TORC. Continue reading Ross Hoek Motorsports–New Schedule and Management Announced for 2016 TORC: The Off-Road Championship

Ross Hoek Motorsports: TORC Crandon I Race Report

Ross Hoek Motorsports: TORC Crandon I Race Report

Holland, Mich. (July 8, 2015) -Ross Hoek came to Crandon looking to improve on the speed and pace of its PRO-4 race truck. The team had fought some gremlins early in the team’s 2015 race program, but the performance at “The Big House” has put Ross Hoek Motorsports back in contention for a podium finish. Continue reading Ross Hoek Motorsports: TORC Crandon I Race Report

Ross Hoek Racing-Ross Hoek Motorsports Crandon Season Finale Race Report

Ross Hoek Motorsports Crandon Season Finale Race Report
Looks Back on Sophomore Season in PRO-4×4

Holland, Mich. (September 4, 2014) – The final weekend of racing for Ross Hoek Motorsports at “The Big House” in Crandon, Wisconsin capped a constructive and solid race season for the sophomore PRO-4×4 racer. Despite not taking the checkered flag during the Labor Day weekend event, the #10 Nitto Tire/TR Beadlock/Shop-Vac PRO-4×4 continually improved its performance on the track and finished on the podium twice during the twelve round race season. With that in mind the future continues to look bright for Ross Hoek.

The final two rounds of racing actually became one round of racing, as torrential rains hit the Wisconsin Northwoods Friday night and Saturday morning. By the time the Sportsman racers took to the track for the first time it was mid-afternoon and as the PRO classes were about to race, the sun had set causing the cancellation of Round 13.

The next morning TORC officials declared Round 14 to be a double points race in an effort to make up for the cancellation of the previous day of competition.

The early Sunday afternoon eight lap season finale saw the #10 Nitto Tire/TR Beadlock/ Shop-Vac PRO-4×4 get a great holeshot exiting Potawatomi Turn One in third place. Early into the run, Hoek had contact from a couple of his competitors which damaged the truck’s steering system. Then just past the halfway point of the race the truck became uncontrollable and Hoek retired from the race.
Continue reading Ross Hoek Racing-Ross Hoek Motorsports Crandon Season Finale Race Report

Ross Hoek Motorsports–Ross Hoek Motorsports -TORC “The Battle at the Chip” Race Report

Ross Hoek Motorsports -TORC “The Battle at the Chip” Race Report

Holland, Mich. (August 11, 2014) – The seventy-fourth edition of the Sturgis Bike Rally was the backdrop for Rounds 11 and 12 of the TORC Series presented by AMSOIL. The race event, “The Battle at the Chip” would see Ross Hoek and his fellow racers showcase their talents in front of a whole new audience, and from the response everyone can’t wait to come back in 2015.
Continue reading Ross Hoek Motorsports–Ross Hoek Motorsports -TORC “The Battle at the Chip” Race Report

Ross Hoek–Catch TORC Action From Bark River This Sunday

Catch TORC Action From Bark River This Sunday
Irvine, Calif. – TORC: The Off-Road Championship Presented by AMSOIL is racing at the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Tuesday and Wednesday, but before that, NBC Sports is airing the TORC race from the recent Throwdown in the U.P., part 2 from Bark River, MI. The race airs Sunday on the NBC Sports Network at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

The off-road action at the Bark River (Mich.) International Raceway has long been considered some of the best in the sport and the racing from TORC’s second trip to the Upper Peninsula in 2014 will not disappoint. Heading into Rds. 9 and 10 of the schedule, Doug Mittag (PRO Light), CJ Greaves (PRO 2), and Johnny Greaves (PRO 4) were the class points leaders, but it’s safe to say no leads are safe until the championship trophies are hoisted after the final race at Crandon.

Two days after the NBC Sports broadcast, TORC is kicking off their inaugural race on a brand-new race track in Sturgis, SD at The Legendary Buffalo Chip during Bike Week. West Coast Choppers’ Jesse James is competing against some of the best off-road racers in the world in a Cooper Tires PRO 2WD truck.

All the racing on Tuesday and Wednesday is available via live, free streaming at TORCSeries.com. The racing both days are scheduled to start at 2 p.m. PDT/5 p.m. EDT.

Ross Hoek Motorsports–Another Podium for Ross Hoek @ TORC Bark River Part 2

Holland, Mich. (July 22, 2014) – The second visit to Bark River International Off-Road Raceway saw Ross Hoek battle his way to another podium finish with the #10 Nitto Tire/TR Beadlock/Shop-Vac PRO-4×4. Despite some adversity throughout the weekend, the Ross Hoek Motorsports team stayed focused and kept their driver on the track and running strong during both rounds of racing.

The 1.4 mile long natural terrain track had one change since their first visit in June as a tabletop jump replaced a double jump along the County Road straightaway. During the Friday evening practice session, Hoek adapted to the track change well and at the same time found a few issues with truck, most notably inconsistent brake pedal pressure.
Continue reading Ross Hoek Motorsports–Another Podium for Ross Hoek @ TORC Bark River Part 2

Ross Hoek Motorsports–NBC Sports Brings All the TORC Action From Bark River, Crandon to Viewers This Weekend

NBC Sports Brings All the TORC Action From Bark River, Crandon to Viewers This Weekend
Irvine, Calif. – With the 2014 TORC: The Off-Road Championship Presented by AMSOIL season at its halfway point, the NBC Sports Network, the official television home for TORC, is getting fans up to speed on the year so far with three hours of programing this weekend.

The action kicks off Saturday at 5 p.m. EST when NBC airs the Throwdown at the UP from Bark River (Mich.) International Raceway. Father’s Day weekend in Bark River is always a good time and the Monster camp represented by Johnny Greaves and CJ Greaves and the Traxxas team of Jeff Kincaid and Keegan Kincaid, a father-son tandem is a strong possibility.

The race at Bark River also saw Steve Barlow’s return to the front of the pack. After missing the race in Primm, Caterpillar stepped up to sponsor Barlow’s PRO 2 and saw immediate results. After strong runs at the Husqvarna Showdown in Charlotte, Barlow came on strong in a tough field.

Starting Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST, viewers will be treated to TORC racing at The Big House in Crandon, Wis. The first hour focuses on the Battle at the Big House, where Johnny Greaves and Mark Jenkins battled for the lead throughout the race. It was also a race for the underdog as Nitto Tires driver, Ross Hoek, continued his quest his first-ever PRO 4 podium finish. In the PRO Light class, a field of 20+ trucks raced all out all weekend with everything left on the track, including sheet metal.

At 7:30, NBC Sports airs the Crandon Cup (Chairman’s Cup), an all-star-like race featuring both the PRO 2 and PRO 4 racers on the same track at the same time with all the drama and action one would expect from seeing some of the best off-road trucks in the world together.

Ross Hoek Motorsports–Hoek Gets First PRO-4×4 Podium: Third Place – Round 8

Hoek Gets First PRO-4×4 Podium: Third Place – Round 8

Holland, MI (July 3, 2014) – The effort that Ross Hoek Motorsports has put forward competing in the premier division of short-course off-road racing is nothing short of herculean. The privateer PRO-4×4 racer entered his sophomore season with one goal in mind, finish on the podium. Last weekend at the most storied short-course venue in North America, Ross Hoek stood on the final step of the podium after finishing Round Eight in third place.

The race festivities didn’t begin until early Saturday morning as Friday morning rain cancelled all scheduled practice on the 1.7 mile long track known as “The Big House.” This left Hoek and his team guessing at the chassis set-up on the #10 Nitto Tire/TR Bead Locks/Shop-Vac PRO-4×4. Fortunately the land rush start can minimize the importance of qualifying as long as your truck leaves strong off the line.

Nitto Tire Toyota floundered on the Land Rush start and Ross struggled to get comfortable in the truck. Regardless the Lower Michigan native pressed on to complete all nine laps taking the checkered flag in fifth place.

Overnight the team, now with some good track feedback from the afternoon race, made several adjustments to the PRO-4×4. The next morning Hoek and his crew were confident that the race truck would be much more competitive.

Sunday, Round Eight
The changes with the truck did work as #10 PRO-4×4 was visibly running quicker. Ross Hoek was much more aggressive with his approach to the race. By the third lap Hoek was running fourth, keeping ahead of Mike Jenkins and within striking distance of the Round 7 winner Mark Jenkins. The great race pace continued after the mandatory caution as Ross Hoek moved up to third place on lap seven. The closing laps saw a great finish as Hoek took the checkered flag in third place just one second behind second place.

“Finally this day has come,” note Ross Hoek. “I have said many times that the driver has to catch up to the potential of this Greaves built race truck. Today I think I closed the gap. I have to thank Johnny Greaves for not only making me a great deal on this truck, but for all the help since we entered PRO-4. I also have to thank Ricky Johnson for all his coaching and advice on how drive a PRO-4, as well as how to race a PRO-4. Thanks goes out to my crew, as this is a continual learning experience and they have always stayed positive and have kept me on the track race after race. Of course I have to thank my wife Cathy for all her support through all of this as well.”

There was one more race on schedule, the $30,000 Forest County Potawatomi Community Cup. The event combines the PRO-4×4 and PRO-2WD race trucks for an all-out ten lap sprint. Ross Hoek entered the event for the first time in the PRO-4×4 Division and if nothing else, the time on the track would allow the STACK data logger to gather useful information that will keep the race truck competitive when the TORC series returns for the Labor Day Weekend World Championships.

The Cup is very exciting to watch and somewhat stressful for the driver. With that being said, Ross Hoek completed all ten laps to finish ninth overall.

Ross Hoek Racing–Hoek Adds Shop-Vac to Program – Finishes Fifth Both Days at Charlotte

Hoek Adds Shop-Vac to Program – Finishes Fifth Both Days at Charlotte

 
Holland, MI (April 29,2014) – The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway saw Ross Hoek continue to improve his PRO-4WD race program. In the days leading up to the race, the South West Michigan racer added Shop-Vac as a new marketing partner as well as quickened the pace of the race truck in the sport’s premier classification. The Ross Hoek Motorsports team has now reached two of its three goals for the 2014 TORC season.
 
The .70 mile long short course track that was built within the banked clay oval at The Dirt Track was a challenge for most of the PRO-4WD competitors as the red clay had very different characteristics during the sunny afternoon practice sessions as compared to the evening feature races. As expected, the Nitto Tires on the #10 PRO-4WD truck adapted well to both track conditions.
 
Saturday’s Round 3 eighteen lap race saw the Nitto Tires/Trail Ready Beadlocks/Shop-Vac PRO-4WD run very well to finish a respectable fifth place. The next morning the crew addressed a few issues with the truck and quickly prepped the silver #10 for the evening’s big race to be televised on NBC Sports Network.

The starting grid for Sunday’s Round 4 race had #10 Nitto Tires/Trail Ready Beadlocks/ Shop Vac PRO-4WD starting on the front row. When the green flag waved, Hoek started strong, running as high as third place and stayed clear of the typical mayhem that is associated with the second night of racing. Once again the silver #10 completed all eighteen laps to finish a very solid fifth place.
 
“We are definitely seeing improvement in our race program,” noted Ross Hoek. “The team has a better understanding on the chassis set-up and I’m getting through the corners better every time we hit the track. We have a three step plan for the team. Step one, consistently finish races; step two, be competitive; and step three, finish on the podium. Right now we have accomplished the first two steps and with continued hard work we can get to the podium yet this year.”
 
  

Hoek Welcomes Nitto Tire and Trailready with Solid Start at Primm Valley

The start of the 2014 TORC Series presented by AMSOIL saw Ross Hoek Motorsports take his PRO-4×4 race program to the next level. The team welcomed Nitto Tire and TrailReady Beadlock Wheels as team partners as Ross Hoek nearly finished on the podium in the opening round of the season. The solid weekend performance definitely caught the attention of the fans and competitors of the short-course off-road racing world.

Ross Hoek Motorsports traveled across the country to the opening weekend of the TORC Series early enough to take advantage of the two day test session. The added track time allowed Hoek to familiarize himself with the updated Primm Valley layout, as well as give the team and tire engineers the opportunity to tune the chassis set-up of the #10 PRO-4×4 to the Nitto Grappler Project Tire/TrailReady Wheel combination.
 
The opening round at Primm Valley saw a great door to battle between the #10 Nitto Tire/TrailReady/Motive Gear/ATD Transmission/Allstar Performance PRO-4×4 and the #5 driven by Mark Kvamme. After trading the third place position a few times in the late in the race, Hoek finished fourth, just. .254 seconds behind the final spot on the podium.
Even with the close racing, the silver Nitto Tire PRO-4×4 had only the usual between race preparations. The team worked on changing a few chassis settings as the race surface changes its characteristics as the race weekend progresses.
 
The race weekend also saw multi-time PRO-4×4 champion Ricky Johnson coaching Ross Hoek on the differences between driving a 2WD (PRO-2) race truck and a 4WD (PRO-4×4 ) race truck. Johnson also acted as Hoek’s spotter on race days.
 
The starting order for Sunday’s Round 2 was determined by Saturday’s race results with the top four positions starting in reverse order. This put the Nitto Tire/TrailReady PRO-4×4 on the front row. Once again Hoek ran consistent lap times bringing home a sixth place finish.
 
“Our team is definitely making progress getting our lap times closer to the top drivers in our class,” noted Ross Hoek. “Getting Nitto Tire and Trailready on board is huge for the team. Nitto Tire is also a TORC series sponsor which helps Ross Hoek Motorsports with great track support. Look for our team to get quicker and quicker as the season progresses. Ultimately our goal for this season is to put our Nitto Tire/TrailReady/Motive Gear/ATD Transmission/Allstar Performance PRO-4×4 on the podium.”
 
Chris Corbett, Nitto Tire’s Light Truck & Motorsports brand manager adds, “We’re excited to partner with Ross and his team for the 2014 season. Their race program will further develop our Grappler Short Course tires.”

Ross Hoek–Ross Hoek Motorsports PRO-4×4 on Display @ Lane Automotive

Ross Hoek Motorsports PRO-4×4 on Display @ Lane Automotive


 
October 18, 2013 (Holland, MI) – Even with the completion of the 2013 TORC race season, Ross Hoek Motorsports concentrates on the marketing side of the team. The next five weeks will see the team’s #10 PRO-4×4 race truck welcome all the automotive enthusiasts that visit the Motor State/Lane Automotive 20,000 square foot showroom. The automotive performance distributor, based in southwest Michigan, has been Ross Hoek Motorsports first choice for parts since the team’s inception in 2000. The company’s extensive line of respected performance parts manufacturers as well as Lane Automotive’s own Allstar Performance brand has kept Ross Hoek running strong throughout his short-course off-road racing career.

Look for the TORC series to announce its 2014 race schedule in the coming weeks. The series is under new ownership as The Armory, a hybrid ad agency partner that integrates digital, social media, experiential and video production, looks take short-course off-road racing to the next level. In the meantime Ross Hoek Motorsports will continue its search for marketing partners for the 2014 race season.
 

Ross Hoek Motorsport–Hoek Concludes 2013 Season with Solid Finish in the AMSOIL CUP!

Hoek Concludes 2013 Season with Solid Finish in the AMSOIL CUP!

Holland, MI (September 5, 2013) – The Crandon Off-Road World Championships would be the final event for Ross Hoek Motorsports and their Motive Gear, ATD, Toyota PRO-4×4 race truck. The team used the limited 2013 schedule as a season long test session to become more acquainted with the 900 horsepower four-wheel drive hot rod as the summer progressed. When Ross Hoek took the checkered flag in the AMSOIL CUP, the team felt a great sense of accomplishment as their 2013 goals were met with a competitive race!

After installing a brand new 430 CID Goodwin engine at the race track Thursday and two successful Friday test sessions the Saturday morning qualifying session saw the silver Toyota qualify ninth quickest among one of the largest nationally represented PRO-4×4 starting grids of the year.
Later that afternoon the nine lap Round 13 race saw Hoek run a solid race to finish seventh out of the sixteen competitors that took the green flag.  Unfortunately an oil cooler broke during the lineup for Sunday’s race and engine oil began dumping out the back of the race truck. Fortunately a TORC official caught Hoek’s attention and he was able to shut the engine off before any damage could occur. The team did miss Sunday morning’s TORC round of racing, but a quick change of the leaking oil cooler had Ross Hoek ready in plenty of time for the AMSOIL CUP.

The ten lap AMSOIL CUP saw Ross Hoek run the best race of his PRO-4×4 season. The Motive Gear, ATD, Toyota PRO-4×4 was definitely turning the quickest lap times of his PRO 4×4 career.  The added incentive of passing the PRO-2WD trucks made this a great experience for Ross.  There was a great battle between Hoek and Todd LeDuc that saw the two racers pass each more than once. In the end Hoek claimed the position and finished on a flat tire in eight place overall, the fourth place PRO-4×4 in the field.
As Ross Hoek climbed out of his #10 PRO-4×4 race truck for the final time this season, you could see a smile on his face. Looking back at his “rookie” PRO-4×4 season of competition, Hoek met his expectations and is looking forward to a very competitive 2014 season for his team.

“I bought this chassis from Johnny Greaves and I didn’t know what to expect,” explains Ross Hoek. “ I knew the PRO4x4’s are fast, I knew they were expensive, I realized you have to drive them differently than a PRO-2WD, but until you get behind the wheel in race conditions you really don’t realize what a different “animal” a PRO-4×4 can be. Basically everyone in the PRO-4×4 class came over to help us this season with set-ups, driving advice, parts, and every kind of help imaginable. We made sure we took one more step forward at every race, and by the time we came to Crandon for the second time, everything began to click.”

Ross Hoek Racing–Hoek Handles Red Bud, Looks Forward to Crandon

Hoek Handles Red Bud, Looks Forward to Crandon

 
Holland, MI (August 13, 2013) – The track at Red Bud MX is unlike any other course on the Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL, and the time on the track for Ross Hoek and his PRO-4×4 race truck was unlik
e any race weekend so far in 2013. The technical design of the Red Bud track really had driver and crew chief re-think how to set the truck up for such a challenging layout. The race results really didn’t reflect the amount knowledge gathered on the truck when it comes to racing on such a tight and tough racetrack.

As mentioned the one-mile long track at Red Bud is very unique to the TORC series. It offers fast high flying jumps as well as very technical and soft dark dirt in many of its corners. The ground is so loosely packed that deep holes formed very quickly during a twenty minute race. If you get out of the groove too far to avoid the holes and ruts, the loamy soil can nearly stop a nine hundred horsepower PRO truck.
After two short practice sessions the Friday qualifying session saw the #10 Motive Gear ATD Toyota turn the eighth quickest lap in the class. Afterwards Hoek realized he needed to pick up the pace for the weekend of racing.
The racing both Saturday and Sunday wasn’t really a struggle for the team; it was more of a test session. Without any experience on a track like Red Bud, Hoek was trying different approaches to the various obstacles in the track learning how the truck reacts to the different types of soil, bumps, jumps and turns.  Cornering the Pro-4 on such a tight track was the real challenge.  Finding the correct balance of aggressive driving, cautious driving, and reacting with the traction of four-wheel drive, proved to be a weekend long adventure for the team.  Ross Hoek stayed near the leaders and finished in seventh place both days.
“We really looked at the weekend as a test session,” commented Ross Hoek. “Right now I need to learn more about the truck so I can improve my driving. The four-wheel drive makes this a totally different animal from when I was racing in PRO-2. My driving ability needs to come up to the level of the race truck.  You really have to understand how the truck reacts in certain situations before you can really attack the race track. It’s real easy to get in over your head and end up on your lid. Our goal for Red Bud was to keep up with the fast guys and we did that on Saturday. All in all it was a good weekend for the team.”
Ross Hoek Motorsports will make its first return visit to a race track with his Motive Gear, ATD. Toyota PRO-4×4 on Labor Day Weekend for the Crandon Off-Road World Championships. Ross finished in the Top 5 at Crandon in the spring and he’s looking to improve on that Labor Day weekend. The truck is in great shape and ready to run up front at Crandon.

Ross Hoek Motorsports Begins Greatest Challenge – TORC PRO-4×4

Holland, MI (May 28, 2013) – Ross Hoek knew coming into the 2013 season that his program would be facing new challenges racing at the pinnacle of short-course off-road racing, TORC PRO-4×4. After 13 years in the sport and racing in every truck division from Sportsman Stock to PRO-2WD Ross knew it was time to step it up yet again. Purchasing the Greaves championship PRO-4×4 chassis just before Christmas the team undertook the challenges of updating the truck. The 2013 season will be a year of learning, so the team took its time to make sure everything was ready and right before heading to the track.
 
After fitting the new engine, transmission, and adjusting the cockpit to accommodate Ross and his ISP seat, the truck was completed just before the Eldora event. Unfortunately, this left little time for any serious testing. After a couple quick tests in the shop parking lot and an afternoon in an open field, everything seemed to be working just fine so the team loaded up the hauler and headed for western Ohio.
 
Once the team set up shop at Eldora, Mother Nature decided to unleash heavy rainstorms. The excessive amounts of moisture in the ground caused TORC officials to cancel all of Friday’s practice and race activities as well as the Saturday afternoon practice sessions, allowing the track crew to take evasive action to dry out the racing surface.
 
The TORC race plan was revised for weather to have all four classes to go racing Live on Speed without any time on the track. With very little time driving time in the #10 Motive Gear/Auto Trans Design/Maxxis Tire/Toyota, Ross Hoek pulled into staging looking to gain some very valuable experience in his first ever PRO-4 event.
 
When Ross started the truck to follow the pace truck onto the track he immediately smelled something burning. With no time and no visible problem Ross hoped it was oil on the headers and pulled into the infield of the famed Eldora oval. A quick inspection revealed a glowing red alternator. A violent first lap crash damaging the catch fence gave the team time to disconnect the failed alternator and get Ross back in the truck for some valuable test laps.
 
With the race under a full course caution, Ross was able to re-enter the thirty lap feature only two laps down. The remaining laps saw the #10 Toyota gain valuable experience as he stayed clear of the leaders on his way to a sixth place finish.
 
“The weather really prevented us from getting any seat time,” remarked Ross Hoek. “If we had any type of practice before the race, the alternator problem would have been found and fixed before any green flag racing. We have over a month before the next race and we will find somewhere to go testing and feel this truck out. I know we have a great truck capable of running up front but getting me up to speed driving a four wheel drive is the greatest challenge in my career. The next step is Bark River which is my best track historically. Our performance there will definitely show improvement.”
 
The next race on the TORC schedule is June 15-16 in Bark River, Michigan.
 
RHM would like to thank its sponsors including:
 
Motive Gear, Jeff’s Bronco Graveyard, AMSOIL, Auto Trans Design, Maxxis Tires, 
R2C Performance, ISP Seats, RacerX, Allstar Performance, Auto Meter, MSD Ignition, Invisible Glass, Fox Shox, and REM Chemicals.

Hoek Takes Fifth in Round 11- Currently Sixth in PRO-Light Championship


Hoek Takes Fifth in Round 11- Currently Sixth in PRO-Light Championship
Holland, MI (September 5, 2012) – A solid weekend of racing is what Ross Hoek Motorsports needed and the team’s hard work paid off with a fifth place finish during Round 11 at the forty-second edition of the Crandon Off-Road World Championships. The team even received additional television coverage thanks RHM Light Buggy guest driver, Sal Masekela and the Red Bull Signature Series production team.

When the doors opened for the Labor Weekend event at the “Big House,” competitors saw a few changes to the iconic track. The two jumps on the front straightaway were replaced with two soaring table tops and “natural” downhill jump was added to the contour of the skybox straightaway. This really allowed racers to carry more speed throughout the spectator area.
After traveling downtown Crandon for the usual Friday morning parade and festivities the team took to the track for practice and qualifying.  The new track configuration and slippery conditions confused the team and Ross stopped the timers fifteenth fastest. The qualifying result was not what the team had expected, but the Friday session gave Ross and his crew nearly twenty-four hours to decide on steps to improve on track performance.
Round 11
Saturday afternoon saw nineteen PRO-Light racers lining up for Round 11. With the Ignite Racing Fuels/ Peak Motor Oil/ Venom Energy /Allstar Performance Ford toward the tail end of the field, Hoek knew he couldn’t waste any time if he had any hopes of a top five finish.
 
The overnight changes to the truck were really working well as Ross quickly worked his way into fourth place by lap three. At that point quite a bit of contact was going back and forth throughout much of the field. Some of the door to door contact saw the running order get shuffled up more than a few times. By the mandatory caution lap, Hoek found himself back in eighth place. When the field went back to racing for the final laps Hoek went to work getting around his fellow competitors passing one truck per lap to take the checkered flag in fifth place.
“We really had to work hard this afternoon, “noted Ross Hoek. “There was some really good racing out there today, most of the contact was just good hard racing, and our Ignite Racing Fuels/Peak Motor Oil/Venom Energy/ Allstar Performance Ford really came through. Our whole team is looking forward to tomorrow.”
Round 12
Sunday’s race had the Ignite Racing Fuels/Peak Motor Oil/Venom Energy/ Allstar Performance Ford lined up on the front row in the 2nd position after the inversion. Typically Sunday’s round of racing always seems to be more aggressive than the day before and Round 12 was no exception. The Ignite Racing Fuels Ford Ranger seemed to be fighting for every inch of the race track every lap. After the nine lap grudge match that included several roll-overs and black flags, Ross Hoek finished in eighth place.
“This was a rough run today, “remarked Ross Hoek. “There were all kinds of pushing and shoving, and I put our truck up on two wheels going through a corner and made a heroic save to keep us in the race.”
The weekend also saw the Ross Hoek Motorsports Light Buggy take to the track. On Saturday crew chief Jerry Windemuller drove the Sportsman Buggy to a fifteenth place finish in the twenty-eight car field. The Sunday race had Ross’ dad Glenn scheduled to drive, but he graciously stepped aside to get Red Bud Signature Series television host Sal Masekela a chance to experience TORC Sportsman off-road racing first hand. Sal and his production crew spent three days at Crandon to create a two-hour program about the World Championship event that will be broadcast on NBC Sports later this year.
After getting all the proper driving apparel fitted and a quick test drive, Sal lined up at the tail end of the second row of the “infamous” Crandon land rush start. Quickly his snowboarding skills were applied to short-course off-road racing, and moved up a couple places by the time he exited Potawatomi Turn One. By lap three of the seven lap run, Sal worked his way into fourteenth place. Then the VW air-cooled powerplant lost power in one of the cylinders. Undaunted the first-time off-roader held his ground and finished the race in fifteenth place.  A solid run considering he never had driven on much of the track until race time.
Afterwards, Sal’s production crew gave him the nickname “Spark Plug.”
The next race is the season finale on September 29-30 at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds in Lancaster, California.
After twelve of the fourteen rounds of racing in the Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL PRO-Light Championship, Ross is currently tied for sixth place out of twenty-two competitors in the division.

Hoek Continues to Show Speed – Struggles Late Both Days @ Bark River

Hoek Continues to Show Speed – Struggles Late Both Days @ Bark River
 
Holland, MI (August 14, 2012) – Ross Hoek Motorsports continued to show its speed throughout both days of racing at Bark River, only to have a mechanical gremlin with a new component, late in both rounds, keeping the #21 Ignite Racing Fuels/Venom Performance/Allstar Performance/Peak Motor Oil Ford from a Top 5 finish.

The setback this weekend did little to deter the team’s enthusiasm as it heads to Crandon looking to capture another World Championship ring.The all natural terrain track is fast and is considered very technical as it combines its high speeds, with elevation changes,  chicanes, rhythm sections and table top jumps. The layout hasn’t changed much over the years, but the race trucks get faster and faster which lead to new challenges at the 1.3 mile long track.
 
During Friday’s practice and qualifying sessions saw the #21PRO-Light Ford struggle with its suspension set-up which ultimately put Hoek back in the tenth starting position.
After some late night changes, the #21 Ford came alive the Saturday morning practice session putting a great deal of optimism into the team.
Round 9
The start saw the Ross Hoek Motorsports Ford Ranger charge its way into fifth place at the midpoint mandatory caution. When the field went back to green flag racing, Hoek carved his way into fourth place. Then with three laps to go, a fuel pickup issue slowed the pace of the race truck. At the finish Ross Hoek crossed the line in ninth place.
 
“We really had a great run going today, “noted Ross Hoek. “We have some work to do tonight, but I‘m confident we will be ready for tomorrow and have another strong run, this time for all eleven laps.”
Round 10
The starting grid had the Ignite Racing Fuels/Venom Performance/Allstar Performance/ Peak Motor Oil Ford lined up in the twelfth position in the fourteen truck field. At the drop of the flag, Hoek began making his way through the field. At the halfway mandatory caution, the orange Ford was in seventh position with his sights set on charge for the podium during the final half of the race. With just three laps to go Hoek was in fifth place look to grab the next position, when the race truck began to slow. The #21 Ford Ranger had fuel pickup issues once again and caused Hoek to retire from the race one lap from the finish.
 
“We really had our race truck running great, but our new fuel cell did us in,” commented Ross Hoek. “The momentum from the Top 5 finish at Chicagoland seemed to be carrying over to Bark River when a freak issue slowed us down. Both days we were pushing for a podium finish late in the race. I have to thank Peak Motor Oil for coming on board this week, as well as our year long partners Ignite Racing Fuels, Venom Energy, and Allstar Performance. Their support really keeps our program running strong.”
The next day Ross Hoek Motorsports went to Crandon for the BFGoodrich Tire Test Day. The team isolated the fuel pickup issue and went out and ran twenty-five laps at the “Big House” preparing for the three rounds of racing scheduled for the Labor Day Weekend event.

Hoek Continues to Show Speed – Struggles Late Both Days @ Bark River


Hoek Continues to Show Speed – Struggles Late Both Days @ Bark River
 
Holland, MI (August 14, 2012) – Ross Hoek Motorsports continued to show its speed throughout both days of racing at Bark River, only to have a mechanical gremlin with a new component, late in both rounds, keeping the #21 Ignite Racing Fuels/Venom Performance/Allstar Performance/Peak Motor Oil Ford from a Top 5 finish. The setback this weekend did little to deter the team’s enthusiasm as it heads to Crandon looking to capture another World Championship ring.

UP Off-Road 100
The all natural terrain track is fast and is considered very technical as it combines its high speeds, with elevation changes,  chicanes, rhythm sections and table top jumps. The layout hasn’t changed much over the years, but the race trucks get faster and faster which lead to new challenges at the 1.3 mile long track.
 
During Friday’s practice and qualifying sessions saw the #21PRO-Light Ford struggle with its suspension set-up which ultimately put Hoek back in the tenth starting position.
After some late night changes, the #21 Ford came alive the Saturday morning practice session putting a great deal of optimism into the team.
Round 9
The start saw the Ross Hoek Motorsports Ford Ranger charge its way into fifth place at the midpoint mandatory caution. When the field went back to green flag racing, Hoek carved his way into fourth place. Then with three laps to go, a fuel pickup issue slowed the pace of the race truck. At the finish Ross Hoek crossed the line in ninth place.
 
“We really had a great run going today, “noted Ross Hoek. “We have some work to do tonight, but I‘m confident we will be ready for tomorrow and have another strong run, this time for all eleven laps.”
Round 10
The starting grid had the Ignite Racing Fuels/Venom Performance/Allstar Performance/ Peak Motor Oil Ford lined up in the twelfth position in the fourteen truck field. At the drop of the flag, Hoek began making his way through the field. At the halfway mandatory caution, the orange Ford was in seventh position with his sights set on charge for the podium during the final half of the race. With just three laps to go Hoek was in fifth place look to grab the next position, when the race truck began to slow. The #21 Ford Ranger had fuel pickup issues once again and caused Hoek to retire from the race one lap from the finish.
 
“We really had our race truck running great, but our new fuel cell did us in,” commented Ross Hoek. “The momentum from the Top 5 finish at Chicagoland seemed to be carrying over to Bark River when a freak issue slowed us down. Both days we were pushing for a podium finish late in the race. I have to thank Peak Motor Oil for coming on board this week, as well as our year long partners Ignite Racing Fuels, Venom Energy, and Allstar Performance. Their support really keeps our program running strong.”
The next day Ross Hoek Motorsports went to Crandon for the BFGoodrich Tire Test Day. The team isolated the fuel pickup issue and went out and ran twenty-five laps at the “Big House” preparing for the three rounds of racing scheduled for the Labor Day Weekend event.